


The Butterflies Always Come Back

by coldstyles



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Angst, Ashton is a sweetheart, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Attempted Sexual Assault, Bromance, Bruises, Calum is chill, Concerts, Friendship, Intimidation, Luke is the youngest, Michael is loud, Protective Ashton Irwin, Sexual Assault, Threats of Violence, they just want Luke to be okay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:02:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24402496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coldstyles/pseuds/coldstyles
Summary: In hindsight, maybe he could've handled the situation differently. Maybe he should've fought back a little harder or maybe he should've told someone when it got too far. But he didn't. And now he must suffer the consequences he feels he deserves. This is all his fault. Right?Or, 5SOS's tour manager uses his new position of power to take advantage of Luke.
Relationships: Luke Hemmings/Ashton Irwin, Luke Hemmings/Calum Hood, Luke Hemmings/Original Male Character(s), Michael Clifford/Luke Hemmings
Comments: 49
Kudos: 109





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everybody! This is my first ever fanfic in this fandom and on this website. I've stanned 5sos for a few years now and have had this story idea for a long time. I LOVE hurt/comfort and I need some protective Ashton/ Calum/ Michael over Luke. I was going to make this a slash fic but I seriously cannot decide who to pair together. 
> 
> This will take place in 2014 when Luke is 17. In the story, they are starting on their first nationwide tour. 
> 
> TW: This story will contain some non-con elements, so if this is not your thing PLEASE do not read. I read and write this topic to help understand and reflect on my own experiences so I'm sorry if this is too much. (There will be nothing too graphic and there is not a full rape, only attempted). 
> 
> There will be trigger warnings at the top of every chapter just in case.

**Court Case #20498 - Hemmings v. Edwards**

**March 21st, 2014**

**7:04 p.m.**

**Victim's Account as pursued by the Defense**

_Defense Attorney:_ “Mr. Hemmings, it says here that you are the lead singer of a band?”

 _Victim_ : “Yes.”

(Note: Victim has visible bruises on face, neck, and wrists).

 _Defense Attorney:_ “Would you say your band is popular? That you have a decent following?”

 _Victim_ : “I guess so?”

 _Defense Attorney:_ “You guess so or you know so?”

 _Victim_ : “I-I know.”

 _Defense Attorney_ : “You claim the defendant threatened to ruin your career if you didn't comply?”

 _Victim_ : “Um, yes and the careers of my bandmates.”

(Note: Said bandmates, sit in the front row behind Hemmings).

 _Defense Attorney_ : “How did you know the defendant was capable of this?”

 _Victim_ : “I-I didn’t.”

 _Defense Attorney_ : “And if you already had a dedicated following, did this ‘threat’ make sense?”

 _Victim_ : “I hadn’t really given it too much thought, all I knew was that he could hurt people that I c-care about.”

 _Defense Attorney:_ “And what do you accuse Mr. Edwards of doing to you?”

 _Victim_ : “Um, he told me he wanted to…use me…to help him s-satisfy his ‘needs’.”

 _Defense Attorney_ : “And did you comply?”

 _Victim_ : “Y-yes, I had to, he also threatened to kill-“

 _Defense Attorney_ : “Did you comply?”

 _Victim_ : “Um yes, but-“

 _Defense Attorney:_ “Then it was consensual, was it not?”

(Note: Victim stares at feet, not answering)

 _Defense Attorney_ : “Mr. Hemmings, was it not consensual?”

 _Victim_ : “Well, n-no I didn’t….w-want it, but I h-had no choice.”

(Note: Excessive stuttering by the Victim).

 _Defense Attorney_ : “Did you say no?”

(Note: Silence has befallen the courtroom).

 _Defense Attorney:_ “Those are all of my questions for now, your Honor.”


	2. beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 5SOS meet their new tour manager and Luke gets a weird feeling from him. 
> 
> TW: some uncomfortable contact, anxiety

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! So here is the first chapter. I don't have a set posting schedule so I will post each chapter whenever they are done. I'm not planning on this story being too long, but I'm in quarantine and have plenty of time which means I will mostly likely keep adding more elements to this story as I go on.
> 
> I hope you guys like the first chapter. I posted the prologue less than 24 hours ago and I already have some hits, which is crazy so thank you. Please leave kudos and I will respond to every comment. Thanks again for reading. 
> 
> Italicized words mean it's Luke's internal monologue.

Luke wished he could recognize a red flag when it was shoved in his face. Maybe it would’ve spared him from the pain he inevitably endured. But, alas, he did not focus on the danger the man hid beneath his kind facade. How could he? 

Him and his three best friends were about to start their first nationwide tour, and their excitement was contagious. 

“We are going to have the time of our fucking lives!”

“Mikey, you’re going to wake up the entire street!” Ashton cried, failing to hide his smile at Michael’s excitement. The boys were just leaving their hotel to board the tour bus that would carry them all around the country for the next few months. 

Luke was thrilled. He had wanted this for so long, it was hard to believe that his dream was finally coming true. Rocking out on stage, seeing the world, meeting fans, it was all he could ever wish for. He has no doubt in his mind that these are about to be the best few months of his life. 

“Luke let’s go!” Calum’s voice snapped Luke out of his daydream and he hurried onto the tour bus. 

Mikey and Calum rushed past Luke, pushing him into the wall of the bus.

“Hey! What was that for!” Luke threw his arms up in annoyance. He rolled his eyes, these boys never paid attention.

“I call this bed!” 

“What no, I called this bed!” Michael and Calum rushed forward to claim the bed in the far back of the bus. 

“You are not getting this bed you little-” their voices cut off as they struggled against each other to jump onto the bed. Mike won. 

“Fucking hell Mikey! You win this time, but this isn’t over!” Calum jokingly threatened. 

“Yeah, we’ll see about that,” Michael laid down on his bed, chin up, looking way too proud of himself. 

“Hey there's a game room back here!” Ashton yelled from the back of the bus. Each boy looked at each other before bolting to the back room. 

“I call the first controller!” Luke yelled, nearly trampling Ashton on his way into the room. Ashton sighed. 

“Ugh fine, I guess I’ll take the second-” 

“Wait a minute, slow down.” The boys, startled, whipped their bodies around to face the unfamiliar voice that just spoke out. The boys looked at each other, confusion and embarrassment evident in their faces. They're supposed to be professional musicians, remember?

The man smirked.

“I mean, I just wanted to introduce myself real quick and then you can go back to your game,” he smiled. “My name is Chris, I will be your manager while you’re on tour. My job is to make sure you get to the right place, that everything is ready at the venue, and to coordinate a few other services like security and wardrobe.” Suddenly, Luke felt uneasy. 

Luke looked at Chris. He seemed like a nice guy (if his words were anything to go by). His poise oozed confidence. He was tall and, even if he was definitely in at least his 40’s, he had a strong build. His dark, slightly receding, hair was slicked back and his clothes were clearly expensive. Overall, he looked clean-cut and respectable. 

So why was Luke anxious? _There’s nothing to worry about,_ Luke thought. He was ready to brush the weird feeling off as his excitement for the tour, when he saw Chris’s eyes. 

Chris was staring directly at Luke. 

Luke tensed. He broke the eye contact, but still felt Chris’s eyes on him.

“I want you boys to know that you can come to me if you need anything.”

Chris looked at each of the boys, but Luke could feel his eyes continuously trailing back to him. Why was he so worried? _He’s looking at me, but that doesn't mean anything. Calm down_. Luke mentally tried to reassure himself that nothing was wrong. _A man can make eye contact with you, it's nothing out of the ordinary._

“Just know I am in a position to help you out in any way that I can.”  
  


There was something in his eyes. _Enthusiasm?_ Luke thought. _No, it almost looks like...hunger._

Luke’s heart was pounding. _Why is he looking at me like that? Am I reading into this too much?_ Luke saw Chris’s mouth moving, but he couldn't make out the words over the thrumming in his ears. 

Luke dared to make eye contact with Chris again. Chris looked him up and down. Luke hurriedly looked away again. _Why is he looking at me like that? Why is he looking at me like that? Why is he_ looking _at me like that?_

“Luke?” Ashton nudged his shoulder, pointing at Chris. Luke mustered the courage to look back up at Chris, trying desperately to appear less shaken. 

“S-sorry, what?” Luke internally cursed at the way his voice betrayed him. He was 17 for god's sake! Nearly an adult. He needs to stop freaking out over something he is making up in his mind. _Is he making it up in his mind?_

“I was asking for everybody to introduce themselves,” Chris laughed lightly, “It looked like you were deep in thought over there.” 

Luke saw the other boys staring at him, looking a little bit concerned. Luke gave a nervous laugh, still a little apprehensive but ignoring the warnings in his mind. _Everything is fine._

“Oh sorry, I’m Luke,” he gave a little wave, looking sheepish at zoning out. 

“Well, it's very nice to meet you Luke,” Chris mused. _See, there is nothing to worry about. He’s just a nice guy._ Luke forced himself relax a little bit.

But then, Chris’s eyes lingered on him. The silence stretched on for a few seconds. Luke’s anxiety immediately flared up again. Before Luke could read too much into it, Chris turned back to the other boys.

“Well, now that that is settled, I’ll be heading over to my own bus with the rest of the touring staff,” Chris smiled, “have a safe ride and I’ll see you in a little bit.” 

Chris reached over to shake each of the boys hands. Calum and Michael gave small thank you’s while shaking Chris’s hands. 

“Is it possible to bring a few fans backstage at every show?” Ashton asked as Chris shaked his hand. Chris looked thoughtful.

“I’m sure I can make that work,” the smile was back, which Luke definitely did not think was creepy, “Honestly, boys, like I said before, if you need anything at all, please don’t be afraid to reach out.” Ashton nodded, looking pleased. 

Chris turned to Luke. Looking directly in his eyes. He reached for Luke’s hand to shake. Luke tried to hide his slight tremble as he quickly brought up his hand to meet Chris halfway. 

“Remember, I’m here for you, no matter what.” Luke paused for a second, nervous about the firm grip around his hand. Chris brought his other hand to Luke’s shoulder, in a friendly gesture. At least, that was what Luke convinced himself. _It was friendly._

Luke felt trapped in the game room, trapped by the hand clutching his own. His mind was reeling trying to understand what was happening. _He's just being nice. He’s a nice guy. There is nothing wrong with that._

Finally, Chris gave one last smile to the boys before turning and leaving. Luke let out a relieved breath he didn't realize he was holding. _What was that?_

Luke was freaking out. _Did he hold onto my hand for longer than the others, or am I just imagining a situation that isn't happening?_

_Nothing is happening._

Luke needed to calm down. He knew he was probably just being paranoid. But was he really overanalyzing the situation or was he being reasonable? 

Luke took a deep breath and decided to let it go. _I’m going to meet new people everyday, it's part of the job. I can’t freak out over every little thing. Plus, he wouldn't be hired if he was dangerous._

Dangerous. That was the aura Chris gave off. _But why? Chris was nothing but nice to us, there was no way he could be…..Okay, that's it, stop thinking about it._

“Well, he seemed nice,” Micheal said matter-of-factly. Calum mumbled in agreement. They went off to lay in their beds and go on their phones, closing the game room door on their way out, leaving Ashton and Luke alone. 

Ashton looked over at Luke, seeing the tension in his shoulders. 

“You alright?” Ashton asked. 

Luke glanced at Ashton. Ashton always seemed to notice when something was off with Luke. Like when Luke started receiving hate comments under his videos. Or after the band formed and people in school were picking on him. Ashton was always the first one to recognize his distress, and comfort him. 

Luke has never been very open about what bothers him. He has always been the shyest one of the group, he has been shy his entire life. Being the youngest of three kids, he always had someone there who felt like they needed to “protect” him (as much as he outwardly disagreed, he secretly was happy to have others looking out for him).

Ashton filled that role when he joined the band. Luke was still the youngest of the group, and he knew Ashton thought of him as a younger brother. Ashton would always find out what troubled Luke, and Luke couldn't help but lean against Ashton for support (especially now as they navigated through this new, crazy stage in their life).

But, even if Luke might be right, that Chris is bad news, it’s nothing he can’t handle. _I mean seriously, what can Chris even do?_

“I’m fine,” Luke said. _Do I really believe that? Yes, Chris is harmless._

_But what if he isn’t?_

“Are you sure?” Ashton pried. 

“Ok fine, what are your thoughts on Chris?” Luke couldn't help but wonder if he wasn’t the only one who felt weird. 

“Oh, um he seemed fine I guess? Why, is something wrong?” 

Luke faltered. _Should I say something?_ He pondered for a second. He knew he could trust Ashton, but he didn't want to bring attention to something that might not actually be there. _No. I'm just being weird. There is nothing there. Chris is harmless._

“N-no, everything is fine,” Luke bit his lip before blurting out, “I just get some weird vibes from Chris.” Ok, he couldn’t help that there was a little voice in the back of his head telling him not to brush off the strange encounter. 

Ashton regarded Luke, “why do you say that?” 

Luke looked away from Ashton. _This is my chance to get this off of my chest._

_But what if he doesn’t believe me? Everybody already sees me as a kid, I don’t want people to think I’m incapable of doing this, of being here just because of some random feeling._ Luke was really starting to be annoyed by his chronic indecisiveness. 

Luke’s eyes studied the ground, “I don't know, nevermind, I’m being stupid.”

Ashton’s eyes softened and he turned to stand in front of Luke, forcing Luke’s eyes back up to him. 

“You know I’m here for you no matter what, right?” Luke relished in these rare moments where the band wasn't fooling around. When he had real conversations with them and could feel how much they all cared about each other. 

“Yeah, I know,” Luke smiled, “I think my brain is just a little overwhelmed from everything that is happening with the tour and stuff.” 

“Yeah, I totally get that,” Ashton still had that fond look on his face, “Now, want to play?” He wiggled his eyebrows and held up the controller.

Luke beamed, ready to get his mind off of his ridiculous thoughts about Chris.

“Yes, but I’ll have you know I’m a master at Call of Duty,” Luke grinned mischievously. 

“Oh, you are so on!” Ashton and Luke got lost in the game as their tour bus started driving away from their hotel and towards their first destination. 

Luke felt his worry drift away. _Nothing was wrong. Chris is harmless._ But he couldn't brush that lingering thought in the back of his mind that something was about to happen (and not anything good). 

Looking back, maybe he should have taken his nervous feelings more seriously.

_I’m fine. There is nothing wrong._

(This mantra was repeated in his head for the next hour).

  
  
  
  
  



	3. Frustration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fast forward to another piece of the court case. The defense attorney searches for holes in Luke's story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everybody. I want to remind you that I have very little knowledge on how court cases actually work. I don't think the victim usually gets asked questions by the defense attorney but whatever, its a fictional story.
> 
> Thank you so much for everyone who has read this story and left kudos or comments. My plan is to post once a day. I am really eager to write this story so I hope you are looking forward to quick updates. 
> 
> Also, reminder, this story is meant to raise awareness about similar situations that happen all of the time between people in positions of power and "subordinates." I don't want to hurt Luke! But I've been reading a bunch of articles about what goes down with child actors and felt like trying to bring the situation into light. Don't let these people be silenced after all they have suffered. Fight back. 
> 
> Defense attorney - the lawyer defending the accused (Chris)
> 
> Defendant - the accused (Chris)
> 
> Jury - 12 people in charge of ultimately deciding whether Chris is guilty or not 
> 
> Victim - Luke

**Court Case #20498 - Hemmings v. Edwards**

**March 21st, 2014**

**7:30 p.m.**

**Victim’s Account as pursued by the Defense**

_Defense Attorney_ : “Mr. Hemmings, when did this all begin?” 

_Victim_ : “Um, I think it was around our first show on tour?” 

(Note: Victim continuously glances at Defendant).

_Defense_ _Attorney_ : “And this is the first time Mr. Edwards, allegedly, attacked you?”

_Victim_ : “Yes.” 

_Defense_ _Attorney_ : “Were you aware that Mr. Edwards was planning on hurting you?”

_Victim_ : “W-well no, but I thought that he may be dangerous.”

_Defense_ _Attorney_ : “Why do you say that?”

_Victim_ : “The first time we met, I got a bad feeling about him, but I brushed it off.” 

_Defense_ _Attorney_ : “What did he do to make you feel this way?”

_Victim_ : “Um, he just seemed more...interested in me than the others.”

_Defense_ _Attorney_ : “So he seemed especially focused on you?”

_Victim_ : “Yes.”

_Defense_ _Attorney_ : “And how did you know this was a sign of danger rather than him being simply excited to be involved and ready to work with you?”

_Victim_ : “I didn’t know just-”

(Note: Victim pauses).

_Victim_ : “I don't know. Looking back on it now, I realize there might have been signs I missed.”

(Note: Defense gave curt nod). 

_Defense_ _Attorney_ : “You are the lead singer of the band, correct?

_Victim_ : “T-that’s correct.”

_Defense Attorney:_ “Are you used to extra attention?”

_Victim_ : “Um, sometimes? We all sing in the band-”

_Defense Attorney:_ “So how did you know this extra attention from my client wasn’t just another eager attempt at showing his support?” 

(Note: Victim seems at a loss for words).

(Note: Defense turns to speak directly to the jury).

_Defense Attorney_ : “After talking to my client, he revealed he had no preconceived plans to harm Mr. Hemmings. He was merely showing his interest in working with the band. These questions have only strengthened this fact. Thank you.”

(Note: Judge calls for a short recess).

  
  
  



	4. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 5SOS play their first show on tour. Chris pulls Luke aside. Luke feels helpless. Luke gets a much needed call from his mom.
> 
> TW: Non-consensual touching, anxiety, generally creepy older character

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, I'm back again. So I hated writing this tbh. I felt gross writing Chris's thoughts, but I needed to make him creepy somehow, ya know? Anyways, I hope you enjoy. 
> 
> Also, I don't have anyone editing this or checking for mistakes so I'm sorry in advance. Most of this story is being written between 1-3 am, when I am most inspired, so I'm always a little bit tired. Sorry about that.

It was after their first show when it happened. 

Luke ran off-stage, still feeling the adrenaline rush he always got after a concert. He quickly chugged water and changed out of his sweaty clothes, the concert still the first thing on his mind. The crowd was incredible and it was the perfect beginning to their tour. 

Luke couldn’t help but feel overwhelming pride for his band. They had come so far and been through so much to get to this point. Most singing groups never sell out concerts or perform a sold-out show. Very rarely do bands reach the point where their entire tour is sold out nationwide. He felt so lucky to be able to experience something like this and knew he had to cherish each moment. 

Luke was so deep into his happy daze, that he didn’t notice a pair of eyes watching him. Chris. 

Chris had been subtly watching Luke since he came off the stage and after he returned from the dressing room. And boy was he a sight to see. Curly hair breaking from the gel keeping it in place and landing messily on his forehead. A light layer of sweat shining on his skin. His tanktop and jeans showing off his strong and youthful body. Chris could barely hold himself back from grabbing the kid right there and then, knowing it would raise suspicion if he did (he couldn’t have anyone spoiling his plans this early). 

Therefore, Chris waited torturously for a few minutes, as Luke got settled on the couch with the rest of the boys. They were all waiting for the tour bus to drive around to the back entrance and pick them up (this was not easy with fans crawling around, desperately trying to see the boys). 

Chris observed Luke chatting animatedly with his bandmate next to him. What was his name again? He didn’t really focus on the others as much as he focused on Luke. Beautiful, attractive, Luke. It was like he was asking for Chris to take him. 

“Did you see that sign in the front row? It was right in front of me the entire concert, I was so distracted,” Luke laughed, “sometimes I worry about our fans.” 

“Yeah, same here,” Calum joked back. 

“I mean seriously, did she really have to-” Luke was cut off when a hand landed on his shoulder. Startled, he looked up. It was Chris. 

“Hey, can you come with me real quick? I want to talk to you about something,” Chris said.

And just like that, Luke deflated. Gone was his post-concert elation as confusion settled in.

For the past few days after he met Chris, Luke hadn’t noticed anything else weird about him. Well, yeah, he did throw Luke a few extra glances every once in a while, but Luke had convinced himself that, since nothing had happened, Chris was simply trying to do his job. 

Luke looked over at Calum, who was giving him a questioning look. Luke just shrugged before turning back to Chris. 

“Um, sure. Right now?” He asked, still wanting to hang out with his bandmates for a few more minutes. 

“Yes, it’s important,” Chris urged. Luke paused for a second, considering declining the request. He remembered his nerves when he first met the man. _That was nothing though, remember?_

Luke stood up, sending one last glance to his confused bandmates, before following Chris out of the room. 

“Sorry to talk to you about this at such an inconvenient time,” Chris said, leading Luke down the hallway, “I just wanted to talk to you, in private, before we go on separate buses.”

“Oh, it’s no problem,” Luke replied, feeling increasingly worried as they walked farther and farther away from the room with his friends. _Away from safety._

They turned the corner and stopped. Chris turned around to face Luke. Luke’s heart stopped. 

_Those eyes. That look._

“U-um, what did you want to talk about?” Luke faltered. _So, he wasn't imagining things after all?_

“You did a great job tonight on stage,” Chris said, eyes boring into Luke’s. Luke looked back at Chris, still confused. _What is this guy playing at?_

“Oh, um, thank you?” 

“But, you messed up.” Luke started panicking as Chris took a step closer to him. He racked his brain, trying to remember if and when he messed up. 

“I-I thought it was, overall, a good first show,” Luke said. _Change the subject. Stop him from focusing on you._

“Yes, but you messed up,” Chris took another step towards Luke, “we can’t have that.” Luke’s heart was pounding. He was scared. Those _eyes_ and that _voice_ . _Why did he sound so terrifying all of a sudden?_

Luke snapped out of his mind, realizing he was just standing frozen in front of this man. He didn’t feel safe. He needed to get out of there. 

“Oh ok,” Luke started walking backwards, trying to hide his slightly shaking figure, towards the hallway that would lead him back to his bandmates, “thanks for letting me know-.”

Luke barely got his sentence out before Chris grabbed his shoulders and pushed him against the wall. Luke yelped at the pain shooting through his back, _this is definitely going to leave some bruises._

Luke was shocked. Even at Luke’s height, Chris loomed over him, looking crazed. The hands holding his arms were firm, displaying Chris’s unexpected strength. _I’m trapped._ Luke was so freaked out and focused on the bruising grip on his arms, that he didn’t realize when Chris started talking.

“If you mess up again, you are out of the band,” Chris said. 

Luke didn’t hear. _Help. Please._

“I said, if you mess up again, you are out of the band,” Chris shook him, enunciating every word. Luke was still too stunned to fully comprehend what Chris was saying. 

“Did you hear me?” Luke looked into Chris’s eyes, seeing the anger and danger looming in them. Luke was too scared to respond, this had caught him completely off guard. He had no idea something like this would happen. _Wait, did he say he can kick me out of the band? No, no, the band is everything to me!_

“W-what?” Luke’s voice shook. Chris’s eyes changed. In them gleamed, once again, that hungry look. Chris leaned in, head directly next to Luke’s.

“I said,” he whispered, hot breath tickling Luke's ear, “if you mess up again, I will ruin your career.” His lips brushed Luke’s skin, just below his ear, as he pulled back, grip still firm on Luke’s arms. Luke, a trembling mess, nodded shakily, feeling terrified. _What did I do to deserve this?_

Chris looked Luke up and down, satisfied with the effect he had on the boy. Oh, how he loved seeing that scared look in Luke’s eyes. Delicious. Chris reached his left hand up and caressed Luke’s precious face. Luke tried to turn his head away from the unwanted touch, only for the harsh hand to grab his chin, forcing him to look at Chris.

Luke felt helpless. He wasn’t even fighting back! _How could I?_ Not to mention, Chris just threatened him. What more could he be capable of? Chris was much stronger and much more powerful than him. But does that make it right for him to treat Luke like this?

His terror kept him in place. 

“Good boy,” Chris patted his cheek mockingly, “remember, you deserve this for messing up.” Chris let go of him, smoothing Luke’s clothes down to hide any sign of their physical confrontation. 

Chris started walking away, and Luke almost let himself relax, when Chris turned back around. 

“Oh, and if you decide to tell anyone about our…talk,” Chris fixed him with an intimidating glare, “I will not hesitate to also destroy the career of your bandmates. Or maybe do something worse, if I’m in the mood.” Chris relished in the horrified look Luke sent him. 

“Trust me, I have the connections. How’s your family, by the way?” Chris smirked at Luke’s visible stress at him mentioning his family. Chris turned to walk away, throwing one last smile at Luke before disappearing around the corner. 

Luke stood, unable to move, against the wall. _What just happened._ Fear and dread clouded his thoughts. He couldn’t stop shaking. Even though that conversation had only lasted a few minutes, it felt like hours to Luke, who could feel the lingering heat of Chris’s hands gripping his arms. 

Luke slid to the floor, going over everything that happened in his mind. _He pulled me aside. He said I messed up. He grabbed me. He said he would kick me out of the band. He_ touched _me. He threatened my bandmates, my family!_ All while successfully terrifying Luke into compliance. 

Before he knew it, tears started flowing from his eyes. He crushed the palms of his hands against his eyes, trying to stop the tears. Trying to stop the sinking feeling in his stomach. Maybe if he pushes hard enough, he won't cry, and he won't have to face what just happened. He won't have to acknowledge that he was just hurt by someone he was supposed to trust. 

He relaxed his hands, staring at the blank wall in front of him, tears silently running down his face. _What do I do?_

_I can’t do anything._

His breath hitched. _I can’t do_ anything. He can’t do anything to get him out of this. He couldn’t even fight back. _God, I’m pathetic. I should’ve done something._ And he would beat himself up over this fact for a long time. 

_That’s it. I need to stop feeling sorry for myself. Chris is right, I deserve this for messing up._

Luke wiped off the tears, willing them to stop running down his face. He stood up, taking deep breaths to try and calm his heart. After a minute or so, Luke felt he could pass as normal, and not some nervous wreck. He couldn’t give anybody a clue into what actually happened between him and Chris.

If someone found something out or if he told someone, Chris could hurt them, someone Luke cares about. He can’t let anybody know. As much as Luke tried to convince himself that everything was fine and that he was okay, a part of him knew he wasn’t. 

Chris’s words repeated themselves in his head, _you deserve this for messing up._ But, he didn’t deserve to be treated like this, to be threatened into submission, to be manhandled by some guy who, for some awful reason, needed to feel powerful. No one does. If someone else was in his position, he would be saying the same thing to them. He can’t let Chris’s words get to him, they mean nothing. 

Luke felt a newfound strength by this. _Chris can’t get to me, he can’t break me._

Luke took a deep breath before rounding the corner and heading back to the room he knew his bandmates would be waiting for him in. 

He opened the door, surprised to find no one there. _They must be by the back entrance already,_ Luke thought. 

Suddenly his phone rang, and Luke reached for the phone in his back pocket. “Mum,” was displayed on the screen and Luke didn’t hesitate to press “answer.”

“Hi mum.”

“Luke! I’m so glad you answered! How was your first show?”

Luke smiled, very relieved to hear his mum’s voice, a voice associated with love and safety, not anger, harsh grips, pain, fear, and-

“Luke?” 

“Sorry mum,” Luke replied, snapping out of his trance, “it was really good, the crowd was amazing. You wouldn’t believe how many people were here to see us.”

“That’s great sweetie. I know you’re busy so I just wanted to give you a quick call before bed.”

“Thanks, mum,” Luke’s smile faltered, he felt himself getting emotional again, “I really needed to hear your voice.” 

“You know I’m really proud of you right? And that I love you?”

Luke could feel tears threatening to fall down his face for the second time that day. After all that happened with Chris, this call was exactly what he needed. He misses his family so much. 

“I love you too,” Luke said, and he meant it wholly and sincerely. 

“You okay, hun?” And Luke almost spilled everything right then and there. He wanted to tell her so badly. He knew she wouldn’t react well to someone hurting her son. 

But, Chris said not to tell anyone, what if someone got hurt if he did? He would never be able to forgive himself if something happened to someone he loved. 

He sighed, “I’m okay, Mum. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Luke.” She hung up right as a bodyguard stepped into the room.

“The bus is here.” Luke nodded, wiping his eyes when the guard turned around, stuffing his phone into his pocket. _Be normal. Be normal. Be normal._

And he was. He explained that Chris asked him his opinion on a specific piece of merchandise. And no, he didn't know why Chris only asked him and nobody else. Nobody noticed anything off about him that night. 

Ashton did see, however, how Luke immediately changed out of his clean clothes and took an extra long shower. Were those bruises on his arms?

Ashton subtly studied Luke. Eventually, Ashton got into bed, deciding the bruises definitely did not look hand shaped, and were probably from something else. Right? 

Luke was clumsy, after all. 

  
  



	5. Denial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who is Chris? What did he do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys ugh I had a really long thing typed out but it got deleted somehow so I'm going to give you the shortened version: I am not a lawyer so I know not all of these court case chapters are going to be completely accurate. I know the victim rarely speaks out in court, especially as a minor. The defendant is the accused (Chris) and the plaintiff is the victim (Luke). Please note that this part of the court case happened before the others (it was the only way for it to make sense in the story).
> 
> In light of everything that is going on in the US right now, I would like to remind you that #blacklivesmatter is a campaign to help minorities speak out. Please don't be ignored! Speak out and join the movement to help make a change! 
> 
> That being said, this story was meant to bring light to a situation that occurs more often than not in the world. Thousands if not MILLIONS of people have sexually harassed others without consequence. Chris is just like those people. People who manipulate others and use their power to their advantage. Many people believe they will never get into trouble because they have connections and the money to bail them out. DO NOT LET THESE PEOPLE BE SILENCED. DO NOT LOOK AT THEM AS ANOTHER STATISTIC. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy and I have another chapter on its way.

**Court Case #20498 -** **_Hemmings v. Edwards_ **

**March 21st, 2014**

**6:22 p.m.**

**Defense - Account**

_ Judge:  _ “Could you please, for the jury, recount the events that occurred, according to Mr. Edwards?”

_ Defense Attorney:  _ “Yes.”

(Note: Defense shuffles through papers. He walks over to the jury).

_ Defense Attorney:  _ “I would like to start by saying that Chris Edwards is a very reputable man. He has worked in the music management industry for almost two decades. Everyone who has worked with him has only had positive comments about him, including how he is, ‘very helpful’ and ‘extraordinarily compassionate.’”

(Note: Chris Edwards is seated on the left side of the courtroom). 

_ Defense Attorney:  _ “Mr. Edwards volunteers every weekend in his community when he is not travelling for work. He also often speaks at schools about his career and his experiences. He has done exceptional work with children through internships and other methods, by teaching them how to be successful in life.”

(Note: Defendant’s wife is sitting behind him, in the front row). 

_ Defense Attorney:  _ “Personally, after meeting and speaking to Mr. Edwards and his wife, it is clear that they are very nice and sociable. There was nothing to suggest that they were otherwise.”

_ Plaintiff Attorney:  _ “Objection, opinion not fact.”

_ Judge:  _ “Sustained.” 

_ Defense Attorney:  _ “Clearly, these allegations have no substance. Mr. Edwards has no record of ever doing anything remotely wrong in the past, much less anything criminal. Therefore the accusations by Mr. Hemmings are quite a surprise.” 

(Note: Said Victim, sits on the right side of the courtroom.)

_ Defense Attorney:  _ “Mr. Hemmings is a child. He is still considered to be a minor under the law. It is a fact that children are not fully developed until they reach their 20’s. How do we know Mr. Hemmings is telling the truth? Children often look for attention from their parents, how is this any different?”

_ Judge:  _ “The account, please.”

_ Defense Attorney:  _ “Right. There is no evidence that points to Mr. Edwards doing anything besides what was caught on camera.” 

(Note: Victim looks shocked). 

_ Defense Attorney:  _ “He was accused of having several confrontations with Mr. Hemmings that were violent and sexual in nature, starting from the beginning of last month. However, the only ‘evidence’ we have of this, is Mr. Hemming’s own words, which, as noted before, are not reliable.” 

(Note: An audience member behind Mr. Hemmings stands, looking furious. He is held down by the people next to him. However, they look just as angry). 

_ Defense Attorney:  _ “While, yes, there is the security tape from a confrontation last week, there is no indicator that says this has happened before. Therefore, Mr. Edwards should be charged based solely on that event, if he is at fault, which I am here to prove he isn't.” 

(Note: Some of the jurors nod at this statement). 

_ Defense Attorney:  _ “Mr. Edwards did explain to me the nature of the…misunderstanding. He explains that Mr. Hemmings had tried to attack him and Mr. Edwards was simply acting in self-defense. The video will reinforce this. Thank you.”

(Note: Mr. Edwards turns and smiles at the Victim).

  
  
  



	6. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A week or so into tour and Chris finds Luke again. This time, Chris just barely holds back. Ashton begs Luke to talk to him. Calum and Michael join Ashton in comforting Luke. They know something is going on, but Luke still refuses to say anything. 
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING: non-graphic panic attack, there is non-con touching and it's much more forceful. PLEASE, IF THIS WILL TRIGGER YOU, DO NOT READ.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! I can't believe I have almost 500 views on this story. That's crazy!!! Thank you so much for reading, leaving comments, and leaving kudos. Please let me know what you think of the story so far!
> 
> I want to say, that I struggled so much to write this chapter, I don't know why. I think it might be because I'm ready to get to a certain part of the story but there is still more to write. I'm not a huge writer so this is a big challenge for me. Anyways, I watched a ton of 5sos vids today to get inspired and ugh I love them so much. 
> 
> Guys there is some good ol comfort in this chapter which makes me very happy. We are really close to the "big" event, or basically the part I am writing the whole story around. REMINDER: This story is not meant to be very long so I would say we are probably halfway or getting to halfway now? I don't know, there's deficiently going to be some time skips. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy. I literally feel so uncomfortable writing Chris scenes ahhhhhh but its gotta happen for the story. Ugh poor Luke, I just want to hug him.

It happened again, after their third concert. 

Luke had been purposefully ignoring Chris’s stares, worried that if he made eye contact, he would break down. It was already bad enough that Chris acted so nice to everyone else and no one saw an issue with him. Luke knew it wasn’t fair to expect his bandmates to somehow know what was wrong. They couldn’t read minds. But, Luke wished someone would notice  _ something _ was going on. 

_ Maybe they really don’t care about me. _

Luke knew it wasn’t fair to assume that, but after his latest encounter with Chris, Chris had been convincing him of just that. 

“They don’t care about you like I could,” Chris’s terrible voice had whispered to him, “you are nothing to them.” Luke had let the words wash over him as Chris’s hands once again held him in place. 

It was worse this time. Chris was mad at something, Luke didn’t even know what. Luke had been so focused on doing everything right on stage that he rarely enjoyed the shows. He was too anxious, worrying about how he might mess up, giving Chris an excuse to come after him. 

But this time, Chris attacked him even though Luke knew he hadn’t messed up. That should reassure Luke that Chris wasn’t targeting him because he made mistakes, but because Chris was just a sick man. But, Luke couldn’t shake the never ending thoughts that  _ this is my fault.  _

Luke was walking to the bathroom and didn’t notice Chris was following him until he heard a door open. Next thing he knew, he was in a closet and Chris was seriously disrespecting his personal space. 

“Hey,” Chris smirked down at him. Luke froze. 

He couldn’t let this happen again. He isn’t weak.  _ I’m strong.  _

Luke startled to struggle against Chris’s hold, “get off of me,” his voice sounding much more defiant than he felt. Luke took one look into Chris's eyes and immediately realized that this was not a good idea. Chris grabbed his wrists, tightened his grip as he yanked them above Luke’s head and held them there. 

“What did I say about fighting back? Do you not care about what I could do to your family, your friends,” anger gleamed in his eyes, “would you rather me let you go and instead grab one of your bandmates?”

“No!” Luke’s reaction was quick. He couldn’t let this man hurt his friends.

“Then shut the hell up and do as you’re told, alright?” He pressed into Luke, hot breath blowing onto Luke’s face. He leaned his face in and oh no-

Luke turned his head away, trying to avoid the man’s disgusting lips. Chris growled, and readjusted his grip so only one hand was holding his wrists, while the other grabbed Luke’s chin, turning his head harshly to face him again.

Luke let out an involuntary whimper.  _ Be strong. Be strong. Be strong.  _

But then, Chris’s lips were on his. 

And he lost it. 

He started thrashing around, trying anything to get out from under this man. He needed to get away, this was not ok. The hot pressure of Chris’s lips only increased as Luke struggled. He tried pulling his hands out from under Chris’s grip, but his strength was nothing compared to his attacker. 

Chris deepened the kiss, and Luke sagged against the wall. It was hopeless. There was nothing he could do. He deserved this for being so weak. 

Luke could feel everything. The sweaty hand on his wrist, the other on his cheek. Chris’s rough jeans rubbing against his own. Chris’s... lips bruising his own. He knew Chris had been whispering things to him in-between breaths, but he could barely focus on the demeaning words when he was struggling for breaths as well. 

God, his heart is beating so fast.  _ Am I breathing, because it doesn’t feel like I’m breathing.  _

After what felt like forever, Chris’s lips pulled away from Luke’s lips and started trailing down his face, to his jaw, then down to his neck.  _ This is my chance to call for help.  _

But no words escaped his lips. 

Luke had never felt more helpless in his life. This man is hurting him, and he can’t do a damn thing about it.  _ Why is this happening to me?  _

Luke internally shook his head.  _ I can take this. I’m strong, _

Chris’s hand starts drifting down Luke’s body, settling on the button of his jeans. Luke’s eyes widened. Luke immediately took back his previous statement. He can’t take this, he can’t, _please._

“Please, don’t do this,” his quiet, watery voice sounded just as miserable and terrified as he felt. 

“Shut up!” Chris slapped him in the face, and Luke yelped at the unexpected hit. It hurt, but it wasn’t hard enough to leave a bruise. A bruise on his arms could be caused by something as ridiculous as running into a table. Chris was smarter than to leave a bruise Luke couldn’t explain. 

Luke was shaking, he knew he had been shaking ever since Chris had pulled him into the closet. But this was different. Something was about to be taken from him, something he couldn’t get back. He was already barely functioning after his last encounter with Chris, there was no way he would be able to stay quiet if Chris ra… if this happened. 

That is why it was a miracle when a phone started ringing. Chris let go of Luke, letting him slide down the wall. He reached for his phone and answered.

“Chris Edwards here.” It was like the switch had been turned on. Chris’s voice went from terrifying, back to the cheery, friendly manager voice he put on each day. How deep do the lies run? 

Did Luke spark something sick inside of Chris or has he done this to other people before? 

“Yeah, he’s right here,” Chris looked down at Luke who quickly looked away, “yeah, sorry we’ll be right out. Yup, thanks.” He hung up. 

“Looks like they are waiting for us back on the bus.” Chris stared down at Luke, at the tears and fear on his face. He loved it.

But, Chris really had to monitor how long he was with the boy, unless he wanted people to catch on. It has just been  _ so _ hard only being able to grab him for a few minutes at a time. Being somewhat famous, Luke seemed to always be around people, making it hard to get him alone. Especially getting him alone somewhere where people wouldn’t find them. 

“Well, this was fun,” he reached down, and wiped away Luke’s tears, smiling when he flinched away. 

“You should get yourself fixed up, wouldn’t want anyone seeing you look so… weak.” And with that, Chris opened the door, looked both ways to make sure no one was watching, and left. 

Luke was a mess. He was trembling and his heart was beating so loudly it felt like it would beat right out of his chest. 

_ He almost… he almost.  _

He couldn’t breath. He was gasping for air.  _ What do I do. What do I do. What do I do.  _

He closed his eyes. His hands roamed the closet-floor, desperate for something to grab on to. 

_ My name is Luke Hemmings. I’m 17 years old. I’m currently in New York City.  _

Luke felt himself start to catch his breath.

_ I can feel the cold floor underneath me. I am alive, I am okay.  _

He continued to reassure himself, eventually reaching a point where his breaths had slowed down. By then, the tears had dried up and he felt better. By no means was he 100% fine, but he knew he needed to get to the bus before anybody came looking for him. 

He stood up, smoothed down his clothes and walked out of the closet. 

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn’t notice when he had reached the back entrance until someone was ushering towards his bus. 

He situated his bracelets so they would cover the already forming bruises on his wrists, took a deep breath, and walked onto the bus. 

“Oh, look who finally decided to show up!” Michael laughed, pulling Luke inside.

Luke, fought the involuntary flinch at the touch and put on his most convincing smile, “sorry, there was a line in the bathroom.”

“Luke, there is literally a bathroom on our bus!” Calum look incredulous, “could you not have waited?”   
  


Luke laughed, and he was surprised at how genuine it sounded, “well forgive me for wanting to use a clean bathroom.” 

“Luke, want to play a round of FIFA?” Ashton asked.

Luke nodded, walking back to the game room, dodging Calum and Michael’s legs hanging off of their beds. 

Luke walked in and Ashton promptly closed the door. They started playing while chatting about the show and New York city. Luke was actually starting to feel okay. He felt comfortable and protected next to Ashton. This was familiar, something he could cling on to.

It was quiet for a few moments before Ashton looked over at Luke.

“Luke, you can talk to me.” The FIFA game was forgotten.

Luke met Ashton’s gaze, taken aback. He clearly was not being as convincing as he thought he was being. 

Luke swallowed, breaking eye contact, afraid his eyes would betray what he was actually feeling, “n-nothing’s wrong, Ash, I’m fine.”

Ashton shook his head, “dammit, Luke! I can tell you’re not okay! You’ve been jumpy and on edge ever since the tour started.”

Luke tensed, “I’m just nervous-”

“No, don’t give me that bullshit. This isn’t you.” Luke couldn’t argue with that. He knew that as much as he was trying to be normal, he really wasn’t the best actor. 

But, he couldn’t say anything, he couldn’t let Ashton get hurt because Luke was too stupid to keep his mouth shut, “I don’t know what to tell you.” Ugh, he hated lying to Ashton, the one person who always took the time to talk to him. 

Ashton’s eyes met Luke’s again, and Luke could see the pain in them, “please, just talk to me. This band and this tour is all you have ever wanted, it’s your dream! You should be overjoyed!

“Instead, I feel like I’ve barely talked to you. You’re quiet, then you put on an act for the show, then you’re quiet again,” Ashton sighed, exasperated, “I mean, help me out here, it’s like we are back in Sydney before you had come out of your shell. That Luke was anxious and shy and I thought he was gone.

“So please,  _ please,  _ tell me what’s wrong.”

Luke stared at Ashton. He had no idea how torn up Ashton would be over this. Maybe his silence was doing more harm than good. 

_ No. His silence is the only way to protect his family, bandmates included.  _

Luke looked away, “I-I can’t.”

Silence. 

Ashton was trying to read Luke, trying to understand what was troubling him. Why couldn’t he say anything. Ashton sighed, realizing that he might not get anything out of Luke right now, “you know I’d never be ashamed of you. Neither would Mikey or Calum. We are all here for you, no matter what. We are a family, remember?”

Luke nods and all at once tears spring to his eyes and start falling down his face very quickly. God, he really needed to stop crying. It was not fun. Luke moved his hands to cover his eyes and tried to hide his obvious distress. 

Ashton gently reached up and pulled Luke into his chest, hugging him tightly. While Luke had started to build a sort of aversion to touch, thanks to Chris, this was different. He hesitated at first, but then melted into Ashton’s embrace. Ashton carded his hand through Luke’s hair and that action alone sends him sobbing. 

At the sound, Calum and Mikey open the door and peak into the room. Luke barely notices them, but Ashton looks up at them and signals them to come in. They sit, Michael on Luke’s other side and Calum next to Ashton. They quietly reach their arms around to hug Luke. They might not know what was happening, but they could feel the misery radiating off of Luke.

Luke had never felt so sad yet so grateful at the same time. He was so lucky to have three best mates who were always there for him. He savored the comfort he got from their presence alone, it was almost enough to forget what was happening with Chris. Almost. 

They sat like that for a while. A family, supporting their own. Eventually, Luke’s crying calmed down and he was left sniffling, trying hard to not feel embarrassed. 

Ashton, speaking quietly, broke the silence, “you don’t have to tell us right now. You can come to us when you’re ready and we’ll be there for you.”

Luke almost started crying again he was so relieved. God, he loved them so much. 

After a few minutes, Luke spoke up, “do you think… is it ok to mess up every once in a while?” 

He finally looked up, seeing Ashton’s confused look. 

“Of course, we all make mistakes,” Michael said from behind him.

Luke nodded, trying to let that sink in. He knew, logically, that Chris wasn’t right and that he wasn’t the burden he claimed Luke to be. But still, Chris wouldn’t be saying that for no reason. 

Nevertheless, it was good to hear he wasn’t alone. He took a deep breath. 

“Thanks guys. I’m okay,” at Ashton’s disapproving look, Luke added, “seriously. I’m just… overwhelmed.”

They looked disappointed that he wouldn’t talk to them, but they let it go, and for that, he was insanely thankful. They unwrapped themselves from their hug and settled down on the couch. After a few moments, they picked up the controllers and resumed their game, like nothing had even happened (although, Luke did notice a few worried glances sent his way every once in a while).

Luke sighed, happy he didn’t have to reveal his secret to his friends, but also scared. How far would Chris go? Luke really didn’t want to find out. But he had no choice. 

He was screaming internally,  _ help me. Please. I need help.  _

But he knew it was too late, the damage was done, and Luke had no idea what was in store for him next. 

(Spoiler: it wasn't anything good). 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is probably going to be from one of the others boys' POV. Let me know in the comments who it should be! I'm thinking Ashton?


	7. Difficulty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry it has been almost a week since I last updated. I ended up being super busy this week so I didn't get a chance to write. Anyways, thank you everybody for reading! I never expected this fic to get so many hits so thank you sooo much. 
> 
> I know this wasn't the chapter you were expecting, but don't worry, the next chapter is already in the works and I'll update within a few days or as soon as I can. I have a few chapters already written but they come later in the story. 
> 
> Also, a little reminder, the court case chapters are meant to show how difficult it is to get people like this convicted. From what I know, court can be really hard for the victim and they often get questions that aren't easy to answer. Every question is asked for a reason, to prove something to the jury. The defense attorney will ask the plaintiff/ victim questions to try and discredit them and increase the credibility of the defendant. In this story, the judge is going to be more gentle in asking Luke questions. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy. Please comment and leave kudos if you like the story, I really appreciate it :)

  
  


**Court Case #20498 -** **_Hemmings v. Edwards_ **

**March 21st, 2014**

**6:47 p.m.**

**Victim - Account**

_ Judge:  _ “We will now hear from the plaintiff.”

(Note: Judge turns to speak directly to the victim).

_ Judge:  _ “Luke, right?”   


_ Victim:  _ “Um, yeah.”

_ Judge:  _ “Can you please tell the court what your relationship to Mr. Edwards is?”

_ Victim:  _ “H-he was my tour manager.”

_ Judge:  _ “So, what did that entail?”

_ Victim:  _ “He was supposed to make sure that everything happening would run smoothly. Like, he managed security, food, wardrobe, and stuff.” 

_ Judge:  _ “Would you say he has power to do things and get away with them?”

_ Victim:  _ “Um, yes?”

_ Judge:  _ “So, if he did do what you alleged him of doing and what was seen on video was more than a fight he claimed was instigated by you, you can say, with absolute certainty, that he would have the power to not get convicted?”   
  


_ Victim:  _ “Yes.”

_ Judge:  _ “Who-”

_ Victim:  _ “When we first met, h-he said he could get us anything we asked for, no matter what.”

_ Judge:  _ “And, here it says that you claim he told you he has the connections to harm your family and friends?”   


_ Victim:  _ “Yes, he told me that i-if I d-didn’t do what he said or if I told a-anyone, he would hurt them.”

(Note: The judge pauses as the jury takes in what Mr. Hemmings said). 

_ Judge:  _ “Ok, let’s move on to the video. Can you describe to me what happened?”

_ Victim:  _ “U-um, so, it was before our concert. He pulled me aside, saying he wanted to ‘talk’ to me and he brought me to this room across the hall from our dressing room. Um, the room was empty and he locked the door after we got in.”

(Note: Victim relentlessly picks at the strings of his sweater). 

_ Victim:  _ “Everytime he a-attacked me it was after a concert, so I somehow knew this time would be different.”

(Note: Victim shakes his head and looks down). 

_ Victim:  _ “H-he looked so angry, I-I didn’t know why. He had p-pushed me against the wall, and it hurt but there was nothing I could do. I learned before that he’s much taller than me and much s-stronger and that fighting would get me nowhere.”

_ Victim:  _ “Usually, he only has a few minutes to get to me before we have to leave the venue. But this time, we had almost an hour before the concert started and I was really s-scared. I wasn’t sure how far he would go. And I didn’t want him to mess me up before our concert, because performing was the only thing that made me kind of happy anymore and I couldn’t disappoint our fans.”

_ Victim:  _ “So, I struggled and p-pleaded, a-and, u-um, then, h-he, u-uh.” 

_ Judge:  _ “It’s ok, take your time.”

_ Victim:  _ “H-he, I’m sorry I can’t do this.”

(Note: Tears have started falling down his face. The judge nods.)

_ Judge:  _ “We’ll have the plaintiff attorney finish recounting the events that occurred.”

(Note: Mr. Hemmings is led out of the room by his three bandmates). 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I already have an idea for a sequel smh.
> 
> Also I upped the chapter amount to 14 whoops.
> 
> This is probably the last court chapter for a little bit.


	8. Outsiders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ashton, Michael, and Calum think about the tour. What is wrong with Luke? 
> 
> TW: Talk of past self-harm/ depression (no actual self-harm though).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I feel like I haven't posted in forever when really it has only been a week. So this is the final calm before the storm. 
> 
> I hope you guys know what I'm talking about when I say Luke is wearing bracelets. Like I remember in 2014, they would wear a ton of random friendship bracelets and stuff. 
> 
> Also, the self-harm TW is for when Ashton is thinking about his past. Y'all remember the butterfly drawing? 
> 
> Anyways, I don't have anything else to say so thank you so much for reading and I really hope you enjoy!

Ashton was worried. 

The issue was that the tour was amazing. He was having the time of his life. He finally felt like his hard work had paid off. Everytime he rushed onto the stage to start a show, he felt a surge of pure happiness consume him.

_ This. This is the life I want. _

He really couldn’t remember ever being so happy. He had people who loved and supported him and wanted him to succeed. Not to mention, he got to spend everyday with his three crazy best friends. 

But, something wasn’t right. He knew Michael and Calum were having a great time. It was Luke who surprised him. 

Luke was, basically, the creator of the band. His covers on YouTube were only the beginning of what would be a successful career and a wild ride. When Michael and Calum joined Luke, and then eventually Ashton, they had no idea what was in store for them. They never thought they would reach the level of stardom they were at now, and they are still dumbfounded every time they meet fans or are on stage. 

If it weren’t for Luke, 5SOS wouldn’t even be a thing.

So, Luke should really be the most excited out of all of them. But no. Here they were, a month into their tour, about to play one of the biggest shows of their careers in Chicago, and he was sulking in the corner.

The past few weeks, since the tour had started, Ashton started noticing a few odd things about Luke. First being that he sometimes disappears after their concerts and shows up ten minutes later on their bus like nothing had happened. Ashton has seen him leave and talk to Chris a few times, but other than that, no one knows where he goes to. 

Ashton suspected that he may have a secret girlfriend he was meeting, that would explain why he always seemed so sad coming back on the bus, he probably didn’t want to leave her. But, he ruled that out pretty quickly because he knew that if Luke was in a relationship, the boys would be the first to know. Luke was always looking for ways to prove that he was strong and mature (although, the boys didn’t really care, he would always be the baby of the group and they would always treat him like it). Plus, the boys knew Luke didn’t have anything to prove. They already knew he was as strong and as capable as any of them (that wouldn’t stop them from wanting to protect him though). 

The second thing Ashton noticed was how Luke was being overly shy and reserved. It was common knowledge that Luke was shy and he remembers how long it took Luke to finally feel comfortable enough around him to open up. Afterwards, Ashton got to know the fun loving side of him. He saw how Luke wasn’t afraid to go on adventures or play crazy games. How he was unapologetically kind and would hug or cuddle one of the boys without a second thought if he thought they needed it (which he hasn’t done recently). How he had such wonder and excitement for the world and ate like there was no tomorrow. 

But now, Ashton could see he was losing weight. Maybe not too much to be dangerous, but enough for Ashton to notice. He saw how Luke was regressing back into his shell, back into the boy who was timid and sad. 

He was acting just how Ashton remembered him being when he met him. After Ashton came to his rescue, saving him from some bullies, Luke was awkward and barely made eye contact with Ashton. It was like he wasn’t sure how to respond to someone who was actually showing him kindness. Also, he was terrified to sing in front of them the first time they all came together, even though they had heard his covers and knew he was talented. It took weeks of band practices and sleepovers, where Luke tentatively tested his boundaries, before he finally initiated a conversation with Ashton that wasn’t just about the band. 

Ashton hated seeing him now, knowing something was wrong but afraid of pushing Luke too far. He didn’t want Luke to hide again. He knows Calum and Michael feel the same way. He had brought it up to them on the tour bus after one of their concerts (and during another one of Luke’s disappearances). 

“Have you guys noticed anything weird about Luke?” They were sitting in the game room, drinking soda (that was definitely not beer), when Ashton asked them. Calum and Mikey looked like they were contemplating for a few seconds. 

“Besides the fact that he randomly vanishes every once in a while after concerts?” Calum remarks. 

“Or that all of his free time is spent in bed?” Michael adds. 

“What about how he only ate two slices of pizza instead of his usual four?”

“And how he’s barely talking to us?”

They named off a few more things before quieting down. Something is definitely wrong and they've all noticed it.

“I just thought he was homesick,” Calum says quietly, “I know he’s been calling his mom a lot.”

“Yeah, but we all are,” Ashton says, “that’s why I think there’s something more going on. Shouldn’t he be more excited? This isn’t just our dream, it’s his too!” Ashton sighed, frustrated. Before they could say anything more, Luke walked onto the bus, giving a small wave before climbing in his bed and closing the curtain. 

That was the last time they talked about it. But, after that, they would always give each other a look whenever Luke said he was tired or disappeared after a show. Or when he would hesitate before joining a group hug or avoided their questions. 

Ashton came back to the present. He had had enough. He couldn’t just stand there while one of his best friends was falling apart. He walked over to Luke and sat down right next to where he was sitting against the wall. Luke looked surprised but didn’t make an attempt to get away (Ashton took that as a win). Ashton looked at the rest of the room where people were milling around, his eyes met Calum and Michaels and they gave a quick smile before they turned around and obnoxiously pretended not to be listening to them. Ashton turned to Luke.

“Hey.”

“Hey.” Luke was avoiding eye contact again. What was he so afraid of?

“What’s up? I feel like we haven’t talked in forever.” Ashton tried to keep his voice cheery to seem normal and not like he was trying to get Luke to spill all of his secrets to him. 

“Oh, um, nothing much, just enjoying the tour.” Ashton could tell Luke was trying to play it off like he was fine. The small, sad chuckle and the fake smile gave it away though.

“You know, touring can be really stressful,” Ashton said, “As much as I love performing, I’m always tired and I miss my family.” Ashton hoped that by opening up himself, it would encourage Luke to do the same. Not that Ashton was lying, he really did think touring was hard, “how are you?”

“Um, same thing,” Luke said, “I’m just missing my family.” Ashton had to hold back an eye roll.  _ Of course you are missing your family, we all are. Now what is really going on?! _

“Yeah, homesickness is a bitch.” That got a real laugh out of Luke (at least, it sounded like it). 

Ashton could see Calum and Michael discreetly giving him a thumbs up. 

“I think I miss vegemite more than anything, though.” Luke said back. 

“Same! Nutella and peanut butter are both good, but it’s not the same!”

Luke laughed again, and Ashton tried to hold back his excitement. It was short lived though because Luke didn’t add anything back. But, Ashton wasn’t going to miss his chance to get Luke to talk. 

“So, anything you want to talk about?” Ashton asked, trying his best to seem nonchalant. 

Luke’s smile fell. Ashton could see a physical shift in Luke. His eyes darted around the room,  _ who is he looking for?  _ Luke turned back to Ashton, shoulders tense and unsure. 

“Nope, everything is good,” Luke said quickly, further convincing Ashton that he was, in fact, not good. Ashton was about to say something when someone interrupted him.

“Hey guys, ready for the show?” Chris asked. Ashton liked Chris. He seemed genuinely interested in helping them succeed. He listened to their requests, got them anything they needed, and always made sure everything was where it should be. He told them about his experience in the music industry and gave them recommendations for where to explore in which cities. Plus, he was a kind person who wanted to help them instead of using them, which, as Ashton has come to find, rare. 

“Yeah! I heard fans have been lining up outside for days even though it's freezing!” Ashton exclaimed. 

“I saw! We were handing out water bottles a little while ago, but the venue is letting people in now.” Chris added. He turned to Luke. “Luke, could I borrow you for a second?”

Luke stayed quiet, nodding slightly. Luke was always nervous around authority figures. 

“Could I tag along? There's not much to do here. All I’m going to do is sit around and feel nervous for the show. It would be nice to distract my mind.” 

“No, that’s okay, it will only take a second. I just need him to redo a quick harmony on the song you guys recorded yesterday.” 

Chris helped Luke stand up and Ashton didn’t miss the way Luke flinched and pulled away from him. 

“Alright, well, I guess I’ll see you guys later?” Ashton watched them walk out of the room, and sighed.  _ I guess I won’t be getting any answers today.  _ As disappointed as he was, he just had to hope that Luke would come to him when he’s ready. 

_ But what if someone is hurting him? _

“Hey, that was closer than we’ve gotten with him this whole tour, right?” Calum said after Ashton sat on the couch next to him and Mike. But Ashton was lost in his thoughts. He didn’t want to think that someone had hurt Luke or was still hurting Luke. 

“Do you think someone hurt him?” Ashton said, voice low and questioning, like he was afraid saying it out loud might mean it was true. “I mean, if someone was, he would come to us right? He wouldn’t deal with it alone? We love him. We want to help him. What if something happened with a fan? Where had he disappeared to all of those times? What if someone is blackmailing him? What if-”

“Ash, stop!” Michael whisper-yelled, trying not to draw the attention of the other people in the room, “you’re rambling. We have no way of knowing what is happening with Luke.”

“But what if something bad really did happen?” Calum asked, now equally as afraid as Ashton. 

“I’m sure he’s fine,” Michael said, but it sounded like he was trying to convince himself of that. 

“He had bruises on his arms once,” Ashton said, now realizing what that could mean, “I thought he had run into something or fallen but what if someone gave them to him?”

"They did seem to take a long time to fade.." Calum said. 

“No, there’s no way, you know how clumsy he is!”

Ashton and Calum weren’t so sure. Michael was afraid too, but he didn’t want to think that something happened to Luke. If he went down that path…

“Guys, it's Luke, why would anyone want to hurt him?” Michael added, trying to sound reassuring. They were quiet for a moment, trying to take everything in. 

“Do you think he could be hurting himself?” Ashton’s voice was so quiet, he wasn’t even sure Michael and Calum heard him. It would make sense. Ashton did see a part of himself in Luke.

He looks down at his wrists, where faint lines ran up his arms. That was a dark time in his life. He remembers feeling alone, like no one understood him. He remembers feeling numb, never happy, never sad. It was like someone had taken all of the color out of his world. The only way he felt anything was when he cut. He relished in the pain. It was a reminder that he was alive and he had a purpose. 

He knew now that it was only a temporary solution, if it could even be considered a solution at all. It took him a long time to realize that it was hurting him more than it was helping him, but he got there eventually. And he would help Luke out of that abyss if he needed too. 

Could Luke be feeling the same way he felt only a few years ago? Everyone in the band knew he struggled with self-harm in the past. Hell, even the fans knew. Luke had to know that Ashton would understand what he has been feeling. He had to know that no one would judge him or make him feel embarrassed. 

“I hate to say it, but he has been wearing a lot of bracelets recently.” 

Ashton shook his head, “no, it's something different.” Ashton remembered longing for affection and for someone to ask him what was wrong. For someone to notice that he was hurting, to make an effort to talk to him. This might explain why Luke was closed off or why he was so keen on sleeping all of the time, but it didn’t explain the flinches or the nervous glances, like he was always waiting for something bad to happen. 

And that was the end of the conversation. The boys knew it was a sensitive topic for Ashton. They sat there, definitely not in the right mood for a concert, contemplating how to approach the Luke situation. 

If Luke was being hurt and he didn’t confide in one of the boys, something really serious could happen ( _ if it hasn’t already,  _ no, Ashton doesn’t want to think like that). All three of them wanted Luke happy, they didn’t want him to suffer. Maybe pushing him to tell them what was happening was the only way to help him (even if he doesn't want to).

They sat there for maybe ten minutes when they were interrupted by security guards flooding into their room. The boys sprung up from the couch.

“What’s going on?” Ashton asked. There had to be at least 5 security guards now, guarding their door and standing in front of them. 

“We were ordered to come protect you boys. Apparently, there is a security threat in the building, but we don’t know anything else.” Ashton felt a pang of fear in his chest. All of the boys looked at each other, panic in their eyes. Ashton knew they were all thinking the same thing,  _ where is Luke. _

“We have another band member, do you guys know where he is?” Calum asked frantically. The security guards glanced at each other,  _ they know something.  _

“We have people getting him right now, don’t worry.” But Ashton was worrying. And he kept worrying and that worry didn’t go away, not even when Luke stumbled through the door. 

Because Luke was bruised and bleeding. Because Luke’s weight was being held up entirely by a security guard. Because Luke had tears running down his face and an empty stare in his eyes. 

Because Luke was not okay. 

  
  



	9. Pleading

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris attacks Luke one final time. 
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING: VERY FORCEFUL NON-CON, ATTEMPTED RAPE (but no actual rape), VIOLENCE, SWEARING, KNIFE VIOLENCE, ANXIETY.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is so dark I'm so sorry. But you have to have that angst before you get that comfort, am I right? I felt like Satan writing this, but I need Luke to have a tough recovery, and for that to happen, this needs to happen. 
> 
> IM SORRY ITS BEEN OVER A MONTH SINCE IVE UPDATED. BASICALLY IVE HAD 0 MOTIVATION IM SORRY. But I'm back and better than ever and I already have ideas for a sequel! So please let me know if you like this chapter. I know its really heavy but I wanted it to seem authentic I don't know. 
> 
> Chris is a f***cking creep.

Nathan sighed, walking over to the room with a sign hanging from the door that said “security.” He was frustrated, he had hoped he would get the floor position tonight, because Chicago was known to have a lively audience (something that would make his job much more exciting). But, alas, he was going to be stuck behind screens once again. 

He reached the door just as Jessica came around the corner in front of him. 

“Hey stranger, ready for another night of endless boredom?” She joked. He grinned, at least he wasn’t doing this alone. He held the door open for her and they walked in.

“You think something actually exciting might happen tonight?” 

“Oh, let’s hope so,” she said sarcastically. Of course they didn’t really mean it. But maybe a fan sneaking backstage would be good for some harmless entertainment. 

Normally, Nathan was tasked with standing outside the venues, preventing people from getting in without tickets, or on the floor protecting the band. Usually, Brad, their manager, would choose to do security camera duty, but he had to leave early for some sort of “family emergency.” 

“So just us tonight, then?” 

“Seems like it.” 

They started the long process of turning on all of the different screens all while filling the silence with mindless chatter. 

Once they were all on and displaying different parts of the venue, Nathan and Jessica were able to settle in and relax. Only an hour or so until the show started, which meant they only had to suffer here for a few hours.

Their job was to check all of the different screens but mostly watch the four boys they were meant to protect. 

“Ok, I’ll take Luke and Ashton, you take Calum and Michael.” Nathan flashed Jessica a thumbs up. 

Even though watching the boys’ every move seemed like an invasion of privacy, it was critical to making sure they stayed safe. 

Nathan had been a security guard on several different artist’s tours, including One Direction. He shuddered, he will never forget when Zayn was mobbed by fans in the few minutes he took his eyes off of him. If invading their privacy meant preventing them from harm, Nathan would do it anyday. 

Not to mention, throughout the month that he had gotten to know the boys, he had realized that they were some of the nicest people on the planet. He would never be able to forgive himself if something happened under his watch. 

They sat for fifteen minutes before Jessica realized something was wrong.

“Luke isn’t showing up on the screen.”

“What?”

“I mean, he just walked into this room,” she pointed at the screen on her left, “but it shows that the room is empty.” Nathan stared at the screen, perplexed. 

“You’re sure this is the right room?”

“Yeah, he just walked in there, Chris too.” 

They looked at the screen confused. 

“Ok, you watch Ashton and the other boys, I’m going to check something real quick.”

Nathan turned back to his screens, seeing 3/4ths of 5SOS sitting on a couch together in their dressing room. 

Jessica was typing on the computer, rewinding and watching the clip of the empty room over and over again. She gasped and whipped around to look at Nathan. 

“It’s just the same video feed playing over and over!” When Nathan didn’t say anything, she added, “look in this corner, you can see the same shadow go past the door every few seconds.”

Nathan watched, seeing exactly what she said. Someone who hasn’t sat in front of screens for hours at a time might not have noticed, but they certainly did. 

Nathan’s heart began to speed up. He could feel that something was off. 

“Can you get the live feed?” He asked almost desperately. Jessica nodded quickly, turning back to the computer. Nathan had a fleeting thought to remind himself to ask Jessica later if she ever took computer science in school. The thought vanished, however, when the screen in front of him changed. 

“Holy shit.” They sat, shocked for a few seconds before springing into motion. 

“Jessica, call 911,” Nathan said, trying to steady his shaking voice. He reached down to his side to pick up his radio. His hands fumbled for the button in his craze. He could hear Jessica’s frantic voice talking on the phone to the cops. 

“We need all units to room 309, we have a code 218. I’ll repeat. All units head to room 309, we have a code 218.” 

Nathan pushed the radio back into its pouch, turned to Jessica, who was just hanging up with the police, and they both ran out of the room. 

____________________________________________________________________

Chris pulled Luke into the room. Luke stumbled in, trying not to freak out at the way Chris locks the door behind them. Luke felt like he should be used to these encounters by now, since they had been happening for weeks, but he wasn’t. He was scared out of his mind. 

Something was different. Chris had never taken Luke before the concert. Each time he was forced to let Chris… touch him, it was after their concert, where the time slot between the end of the show and getting on the bus was short enough to excuse his disappearance as a trip to the bathroom or something similar. 

Chris turned around and, as usual, roughly pushed Luke against the wall. Luke had been bracing for the impact, but it still didn’t stop the surge of pain that shot down his back. Chris held him there for a moment, breathing heavily. Luke stood as still as possible, trying his best to make himself invisible. Chris turned to look at Luke. 

“What did you tell him?” Chris said, low and menacing. Luke tensed. Tell who? Luke wasn’t able to answer before Chris growled, pulling Luke’s body towards him and slamming him against the wall, much harder than before. 

Luke yelped when his head made contact with the wall, feeling dazed from the impact. 

“WHAT DID YOU TELL HIM,” Chris manhandled him again, causing his head to bash into the wall for a second time. Luke momentarily blacked out. His vision returned to him a few seconds later and his head throbbed at the colors and sounds invading his senses. He could feel something wet trickling down the back of his head. He instinctively tried to reach up and find out what the liquid was, but Chris rearranged his hands to be holding Luke’s wrists above his head. 

Luke, suddenly remembering the situation he was in, scrambled for an answer, “I-I didn’t tell anybody a-anything, I swear!” His words came out slightly slurred but Chris seemed to understand him. He leaned in closer, making Luke feel even smaller than he had felt before. 

“I saw you two talking. You looked right at me.” Chris whisper-yelled these words, which was somehow scarier to Luke than when he raised his voice. Luke shook his head frantically, but instantly regretted it as nausea threatened to take over his body. 

Chris looked at him, his eyes ablaze with anger. He waited a moment before nodding and letting go of Luke. Luke slumped down the wall, his weight no longer being held up.

Chris slowly walked away, looking deep in thought. But Luke could tell he wasn’t finished. 

Luke suddenly had an idea. Chris was a few feet in front of Luke, meaning Luke had a clear path to the door on his right. If he could just get his head to stop spinning, maybe he could escape Chris. He could get out there, run to a bathroom, clean off his head, and be back in the dressing room before anybody questioned where he was. 

Luke looked to his right, then back at Chris. This was his only shot. 

He sprang to his feet and started running towards the door (at least it felt like he was running, the world was tilting so much it was hard to tell). He barely made it a few feet, before Chris twirled around and kicked him behind his knee. 

Luke gasped and fell to the floor, right in front of the door. Pain instantly flared up in his knee. It was unbearable. It felt like his entire leg was on fire. Chris dropped down to his level and covered Luke’s mouth before he could scream. 

Luke twisted around, trying to find a position where the burning would seize, where the dagger would stop twisting. 

Luke felt tears spring to his eyes.  _ Why is this happening to me??? _

Chris stared at Luke, the anger gone from his eyes. He had come to the realization, just before Luke tried to run, that there was no way he could get out of this with Luke looking like he did. Luke was too injured now to go back to the band without raising suspicion. Chris looked around at the door on the other side of the room that was unlocked that would lead to a separate hallway where he wouldn’t be caught. He looked up at the security camera which he had paid Brad to manipulate. He smiled, realizing he could actually get away with this. He decided, it was either go big or go to jail. And he definitely wasn’t going to jail (although he could probably pay his way out either way). 

Chris looked back down at Luke and felt a rush of joy at the boy’s expression. He looked vulnerable, just the way he liked him. He wanted him so bad. No, he  _ needed _ him. The minute he laid eyes on him, he knew Luke would be his, that Luke was going to belong to him. His plan had always been to have him for the tour and then dump him. But now, looking at the beautiful boy in front of him, he knew he couldn’t let him go.

Luke watched as Chris reached into his pocket with his free hand and pulled out a switchblade. Luke’s eyes widened considerably, and he tried and failed to scooch away from Chris.  _ Had he been carrying that around this entire time?!  _ Chris’s hellish smile deepened at Luke’s reaction. 

“I’m going to take away my hand. If you scream, I’ll kill you.” Chris positioned himself behind Luke and brought the knife against Luke’s throat, to prove he wasn’t lying. Luke was terrified, as Chris slowly brought his hand away from Luke’s mouth and under his armpit to try and pull him farther away from the door. 

Luke looked towards the door, he could see shadows of people passing by. He knew that if he didn’t scream now, he might not get out of this alive. He opened his mouth to scream, but Chris clamped his hand down against his mouth again and pushed on his injured knee. Luke actually screamed then, but the sound was muffled behind Chris’s hand. When the pressure was finally released, Luke was too exhausted from the pain to do anything other than unwillingly slump against Chris.

“Ok, lets try this one more time,” Chris brought the blade to his neck once again, pressing it hard enough to force Luke to lean farther into Chris to avoid the blade. 

“If you make one more  _ fucking _ sound, I will cut your throat and leave you here to die alone,” Chris whispered into his ear, enunciating each violent word, “and don’t think I’ll stop there. I’ll go after your family and your little friends.” Chris took his hand from Luke’s mouth and grabbed his hair, yanking his head back so Luke was staring up into Chris’s eyes. 

“The whole world will wonder who murdered 5SOS,” he sneered, mocking him, “and I’ll tell them it was  _ your  _ fault because they sure as hell will never suspect it to be mine.” Luke shuddered. How could Chris be so sure he would never be caught? 

Luke slightly nodded, promising not to make any noise. He may be in more pain than he has ever been in his life, and he may never recover from this, but he would suffer if it meant his family and his brothers (bandmates) would be safe.

Chris nodded, pocketing the knife and dragging Luke the rest of the way across the room. Luke sucked in his breath, trying desperately to quiet his whimpers each time his injured leg was jostled. Luke hadn’t noticed it before, but there was a door on the opposite side of where they came in. He deflated. His hope that he would survive this was waning every second. 

Chris finally let go and walked around so he was standing in front of Luke. Luke looked up at Chris, noticing he looked more intimidating from this angle than when he was standing up. He wondered if Chris purposefully did that. Actually, he wondered how much of this Chris had planned. 

Luke had watched enough Criminal Minds with Michael to know what it looked like when someone was devolving. Even though he hoped he would never have to experience it in person, he could tell that Chris was getting farther and farther from reality. This point was strengthened when Chris leaned down and came to a kneeling position on his knees. He put his hand on Luke’s injured leg and Luke couldn’t help the groan he released. Chris let go like he was burned. For a second, Luke thought he genuinely looked guilty. Chris leaned over again, this time avoiding his knee, and caressed Luke’s face. 

“I’m so sorry baby, I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I love you so much.” Chris pushed his way between Luke’s legs and laid down on top of him. Luke was trapped by Chris’s body weight, making it nearly impossible for him to move. His breathing sped up, as Chris started planting the usual kisses on his face and neck. Luke closed his eyes, desperate to mentally escape the situation. He had been trying to do this, hoping each time that it would help him ignore what was happening to him. It never did. 

Luke knew Chris didn’t mean it. He knew Chris got off on his pain and fear. He just didn’t know what other delusion Chris was slowly devolving into. As if on cue, Chris started getting rougher. He moved Luke’s head to get more access to his neck, leaving painful kisses he knew would end up as dark hickeys. 

Luke felt the sweaty hands holding his face, and his neck, and his waist. He wished more than anything, that that feeling would go away. But he knew, deep down, he would be feeling those phantom hands the rest of his life. 

Subconsciously, Luke knew how this encounter would end. But it was like his mind wanted to protect him from the truth. He didn’t want to believe that Chris would actually go that far. But as Luke felt Chris’s hands wander further down, he couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of dread that Chris was finally going to go through with it.

He was going to take away Luke’s innocence. 

Luke felt anxiety flood into his veins. He couldn’t do this. He can’t be strong. He  _ isn’t  _ strong. 

“Please, Chris, please don’t do this,” Luke sobbed. Chris paused, before taking his hand and slapping Luke across the face. Luke could tell Chris wasn’t holding back this time, by the way his cheek stung from the impact. Chris’s hands found their way up onto Luke’s head, suddenly fascinated with his hair. Luke sobbed some more at the way Chris pulled on his wound. 

To Luke’s horror, Chris started moving against Luke and captured his lips in a bruising kiss. 

Luke was going to throw up.  _ Please help me. _

He could barely breathe.  _ Help, please, I need help.  _

The feeling of someone using his body for their own pleasure is the most horrifying feeling. He has never felt so weak, so powerless, so exposed.  _ Please, Ashton, anybody, help me.  _

His body rocked to the rhythm Chris was moving. He closed his eyes, tears falling down. He didn’t realize he even had more tears left to cry. 

He knew in this moment that he would never feel clean again. No shower would ever be able to wash away how dirty he felt. 

God, how was he ever going to look anybody in the eye again? Knowing he was so damaged, so… broken. 

Luke flinched away from Chris’s hands that once again were on the buttons of his jeans. He felt Chris take off the button. The sound of the zipper unzipping was the loudest sound he had ever heard. He suddenly felt extremely aware of how trapped he was under Chris, with his arms pinned next to him and his injured knee preventing him from moving. He really was weak, wasn’t he? he could hear Chris’s voice poisoning his mind.  _ Pathetic. _

Luke turned his head to the right, trying to focus on anything in the room that would distract him from the violation that was about to happen to his body. He stared intently at a chair in his blurry line of vision, but it wasn’t enough to prevent him from feeling the intrusive hands begin to pull down his jeans. 

And then, something happened. Looking back on it, it was a miracle this happened right on time, before Chris could go any further. 

A heavy knock was heard at the locked door. Chris froze, whipping his head around to look at the door. He scrambled to his feet, while Luke took the opportunity to quickly pull his pants back up. 

“Open up now or we will have to do this the hard way.” Chris turned to look at the trembling boy and back at the door, and it was the first time Luke had seen Chris look scared. 

“Ok, I’ll be right there, I’m just, uh, grabbing something!” Chris turned around so fast and rushed back over to Luke who was trying to crawl away. He grabbed him and hauled him to his feet. Luke was forced to lean all of his weight onto Chris to avoid stepping on his injured leg. Chris reached into his pocket and brought out his knife. 

“Listen, you are going to shut up and we are going to go through that door.” He pointed with his knife to the door the officers weren’t at and started half-carrying half-dragging Luke towards it.

“Stop, or I’ll shoot.” Chris looked up in surprise as another security busted through the door they planned on escaping from. At the same moment, the other door opened, and more security guards flooded in. 

Chris backed away until he was in the middle of the room, holding Luke upright, trying to recalculate his chances of escaping. His face morphed as he put on his most charming smile. 

“Look, officers, Luke and I were just having a little friendly squabble, nothing to worry about.” Chris hid his knife behind his back, as if the officers didn’t already see it. 

Luke looked at the officers, feeling a mixture of terror and relief. Chris might still kill him, and it was seeming more likely that that was the way Chris was going to “escape,” by killing Luke and then himself. But, seeing the guns trained on Chris, he never felt closer to freedom. 

“Is that right Luke?” Luke looked over at one of the security guards he recognized: Nathan. They had actually become pretty friendly with each other over the past few weeks, with Luke finding it easier to act happy around a stranger than his best friends. Luke was tempted to admit that, obviously, he was not ok. But, he felt the knife poking at his lower back which made him rethink his response.

“U-um, y-yes.” He couldn’t help the tremble in his voice. The whole event had been a whirlwind of pain and fear, and adrenaline was still coursing through his veins. 

Nathan must have seen it in his face. If it wasn’t the bruises, the blood, or the favoring of one leg, then it was definitely his eyes that gave it away. Because he was looking desperately at Nathan like he would be the last person he would see. Nathan nodded at him and looked at Chris. 

“Chris, we know this was more than a fight, I saw the security footage.” Luke instantly felt shame.  _ He saw? Who else saw?  _ Chris seemed to contemplate for a second before pulling Luke close to him and bringing his knife back up to its designated spot on Luke’s throat. 

“If any of you get any closer, I will slit his throat.” Chris threatened. Luke tensed even more, if that was possible, at the renewed threat of death. Nathan stepped forward, causing Chris to pull Luke tighter against him. Nathan stepped back, hands up in surrender. 

“Listen man, I just want to talk.” Chris looked at him, hesitating, before nodding at him to go on.

“Look, we can make you a deal if you let Luke-”

“No,” Luke jumped at how loud Chris’s voice was in his ear. He could feel the sting as the blade at his throat cut a thin line. He leaned as far back as he could go into Chris, arms reaching up in an attempt to pull the knife away from his neck. Chris didn’t budge. 

“I want a gun and a plane, and I want you to escort me and let me go.” Nathan looked around at his fellow security guards, as if he was seriously considering the idea. 

“Ok, fine we can do that for you if you let Luke go.” No, no, no. They wouldn’t seriously let him go? The man who has made his life miserable? The man who abused him? The man who took advantage of him will walk free while Luke would forever be trapped by his trauma?

“No, he’s coming with me. He’s  _ mine.”  _ Chris’s possessiveness scared Luke, and he could tell that even the officers seemed scared for him.

“Chris, you know we can’t let you do that.” 

“THEN I’LL KILL HIM,” Chris screamed, “it’s either give me my demands or he’s dead.”

Luke looked at Nathan with pleading eyes. Hoping he would get the message that he couldn’t let Chris steal him away. He wouldn’t survive any longer with this monster. He was barely functioning now. 

Chris leaned in to whisper to Luke, something only he would hear. 

“You’re mine. You hear me? I love you, baby, and I am never letting you go,” he sounded hysterical, “either I have you or no one has you.” Luke closed his eyes, trying to feel peace amongst the crushing fear. This was it, this was how he was going to die. He never thought it would end like this. 

A shot rang out and Luke fell to the floor. 

Luke opened his eyes in surprise, noticing that he was dragged down by Chris. He looked to his right, where one of the officers was stowing her gun after shooting Chris in the leg. Chris was writhing in pain below him, distracted enough to let go of Luke and give Nathan an opening to pull him away from Chris.

Luke let himself be pulled away, but his eyes never strayed from Chris. 

Suddenly everything was too hot and moving too fast. He yanked himself from Nathan’s grip, struggling to get away from him. Nathan went to reach for Luke, but Luke scooted back, trying to stay out of reach. 

“W-wait, please don’t t-touch me, please.” Luke cried out. It was all too soon. He could still feel the uncomfortable heat from Chris’s hands on his body and he definitely couldn’t trust any adult man at the moment. Not when Chris betrayed his trust so easily.

Nathan backed up, eyes showing his realization. He looked over to his side where Jessica was handing Chris over to another guard. He motioned for her to come over. As she got closer, she realized the extent to which Luke was injured. 

“Call an ambulance,” she said to Nathan. He just nodded, taking one last sad look at Luke, before leaving the room to make the call. 

Jessica leaned down next to Luke who was breathing way too fast and hard for a normal person. 

“Hey, sweetie, you need to calm down, alright?” She tried to get him to meet her eyes, but it was a lost cause. He was way too freaked out right now to think straight. 

“Ok let's try something,” she started, “what are five things you can see?” Luke looked around quickly, still avoiding eye contact. 

“Um, ok, uh, a chair, the door, the officers, the tiles, and you.” He snuck a quick glance at her, breath heaving with the effort. 

“Ok, really good job, Luke. What are five things you can feel?” 

“The floor, my shirt,” he reached out with his hand, grasping any surface that could support him, “the wall, my knee, my head, his hands, oh my g-” 

“Ok, ok, that’s ok, that’s enough.” She was trying to hide how worried she was for him, because he needed someone calm right now. But it was hard. He was not in good shape. And if what she saw on the camera feed could give her nightmares, she had no idea how badly Luke would suffer mentally after this. 

“Luke,” she asked, “would it be ok if I took your hand? I promise you I’ll be gentle, I just need you to match my breathing.” He finally looked up at her, breathing heavily, looking unsure of whether or not to agree to her question. She could see him hesitate, and she didn’t blame him. 

Eventually, he tentatively unwrapped his arm from his body and laid it over his leg where she could take it. As gently as she could, she picked up his arm, noticing the flinch, but still bringing the arm to her stomach where he would be able to feel her breaths. She knows he is scared, but she would rather have him be uncomfortable than pass out from a lack of oxygen. 

She breathed deep, dramatic breaths. After a few minutes, Luke’s breaths matched her own and he finally calmed down. 

Luke thanked Jessica quietly and didn’t pull back when Jessica gently lifted him up into a standing position. 

“I’m going to take you back to your dressing room until the medics arrive. Is that ok?” He gave a quick nod, ignoring the thrumming in his head and stumbled across the room, with his weight being held up by Jessica. He tried not to feel embarrassed as several officers, who had been watching the whole ordeal, parted ways to let him through. 

The guard brought him outside of the room, and Luke limped along, glancing behind himself every few seconds, dazed, still in shock from what happened. Jessica, unsure of what else to do, brought Luke, as quickly as she could, to the dressing room across the hall (the room his bandmates were waiting in). 

Jessica motioned for the female security guards to come over, “careful, I think he is going into shock.” 

They grabbed Luke from her and basically carried him inside. 

“Luke!” Each boy rushed to Luke as he entered through the doorway. Calum reached out to take him from the security guard but Luke unconsciously flinched away. Calum backed away, surprised and let the security guard set Luke on the couch. 

Luke was shaking uncontrollably. The pain in his head became increasingly more unbearable as the adrenaline wore off.  _ Help me.  _

The pounding was getting worse. Voices were muffled, he couldn’t hear anything that was going on around him. Were people talking to him? Saying his name?  _ Help me. _

Something was dripping down the side of his head. He reached his hand up and it came back bloodied. He stared at it.  _ Help me.  _

He was breathing, too fast, too hard. Was he crying again? He hadn’t noticed any tears fall out…  _ HELP ME.  _

He felt numb. 

“Give him space, guys,” Ashton was trying to be reasonable, but his voice was shaking with fear. What happened? 

Just then a security guard rushed in, alerting them that a medical team was making its way into the building to get Luke. 

“Does anybody want to ride with him?” Ashton looked tentatively at Calum and Michael, hoping his expression showed how badly he wanted to stay with Luke. They nodded. Ashton turned back to the guard. 

“I’ll go.” The guard nodded, then went back into the hallway, no doubt to signal the doctors to their room. 

Ashton examined Luke, trying to catalogue his injuries. He looked terrible. He had bruises on his face and hand shaped bruises on his arms. His split lip was barely noticeable on his bruised lips. There was blood dripping down the side of his head, and Ashton winced at the thought of how much pain Luke must be in. 

Ashton didn’t see any other visible injuries, but that did not mean there weren’t any. Luke would not be okay after this, after whatever this was. If the bruises didn’t give it away, it was the vacant look and the trembling hands that did. 

On impulse, Ashton reached over and grabbed Luke’s hand. Luke jumped, his eyes looked down at his hand then, looking at how Ashton’s fingers intertwined with his own. Luke slowly looked up, then back down, and squeezed Ashton’s hand. 

Maybe he will be alright. He has to be. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ALSO A NEW CHAPTER IS ALMOST FINISHED AND WILL BE POSTED TOMORROW OR THE NEXT DAY. (It's a shorter chapter).


	10. Confusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The show in Chicago is cancelled. 
> 
> TW: Mentions of injury, mentions of sexual assault

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is kind of a filler chapter. 
> 
> Soooo basically the fans are going to know the details for the most part (it helps the story). I could totally see some sort of invasive media outlet like TMZ trying to get all of the gossip even when it is an invasion of privacy. 
> 
> Anyways, thank you guys for reading and commenting I LOVE YOU ALL

“Hello everyone, and welcome back to TMZ daily news. We are back with some crazy news today, from Miley Cyrus’s latest tweet to Kim K’s stylish new fashion line. But, today we are starting with an incident that has struck fear and worry into the hearts of thousands of fans and it all has to do with the Australian pop-rock band 5 Seconds of Summer. 

“Yesterday evening, fans were slowly being let into the Chicago Theater, where 5SOS were meant to perform their 16th show of their nationwide tour. About an hour before the show, police began arriving at the theater, alarming fans and curious bystanders. We will take you to the scene now.” 

The video switches to footage of the Chicago Theater. In the background, you could see policemen barricading the side entrance of the theater. Policemen and security guards struggled to keep fans away, but the fans were panicked, wondering what was happening. 

An ambulance drove up and fans scattered to make way for the vehicle. The policemen quickly moved the barricade to allow the ambulance to drive in. Medics jumped out of the vehicle, bringing a stretcher inside as quickly as they could. Fans filled back in, bodies pressed up against the barricades to get a glimpse of what was happening. 

Eventually, the door the doctors entered through reopened. The doctors were carrying the stretcher back out, but this time with someone on it. Fans pushed against the barricade, phones out, trying to see who was on the stretcher. Security guards pushed back, trying to disperse the crowd. 

“That’s Ashton!” A fan yells, pointing to the boy hurrying alongside the stretcher and into the ambulance. The fans started yelling his name. Ashton looked back for a second, gave a quick wave, and the doors of the ambulance shut. The ambulance exited in the other direction and another ambulance and a few police cars entered. The fans once again parted quickly, making way for the emergency vehicles.

Eventually, the door opened again, this time with policemen guiding an individual to the other ambulance. It wasn’t obvious who the person was, but the several policemen that joined the man onto the ambulance made it clear that he may be dangerous.

Several minutes later, two boys, accompanied by more policemen, rushed out of the door. They were quickly identified by the fans who shouted their names.

“Calum!”

“Michael!”

The dozens of voices overlapped, and the boys did the same as Ashton, gave a quick wave and hurried into the police car.

It was over as quickly as it began. Fans talked among themselves, wondering who was on the stretcher since they hadn’t had a clear view. You could sense the confusion and concern through the video. Some fans were anxious, others crying. 

The camera pans over to the entrance of the theater. The fans that had made it into the venue began spilling out.

The footage ends and the video returns to the reporter.

“Many people have been wondering what had happened last night. But, after seeing 3/4ths of 5SOS leave the venue, fans have deduced that Luke Hemmings, the lead singer of the band, was the one on the stretcher. Fans also may have identified the other injured man as Chris Edwards, the boys’s tour manager. While this is not confirmed, it did spark a movement that went viral in only an hour after it was first tweeted about. 

“Hashtags like #prayforluke, #5sosfanssticktogether, and #5sosfamily have been trending worldwide since last night. While many fans have been speculating what could’ve possibly happened, we finally have some answers. 

“According to an anonymous source, Chris Edwards was arrested on possible charges of blackmail, aggravated assault, and sexual assault. While nothing is confirmed, we do have reason to worry for our boys. Please keep tweeting and sending your thoughts to them during this crazy time. We will update everyone with news as soon as possible. Now, moving on, did you see Kim’s new fashion line?.....”

  
  



End file.
